Full Name
Shahid Husain
Job Title
Professor of Medicine, Medical Director of the University Health Network, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
Company/Institution/ Organization
University Health Network, University of Toronto
Speaker Bio
Dr. Shahid Husain, a distinguished figure in Internal Medicine, completed his residency at Cook County Hospital and pursued a three-year Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), specializing in Transplant Infectious Diseases. He further enhanced his expertise with a master’s degree in clinical Trials from the University of Pittsburgh. After his tenure as a faculty member at UPMC, Dr. Husain joined the University of Toronto in 2008.

An internationally acclaimed expert in Transplant Infectious Diseases, Dr. Husain has held the prestigious position of Chairman of the Infectious Diseases Council at the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation. His commitment to the field extends to his active involvement with the Canadian Society of Transplantation, where he currently chairs the Transplant Infectious Diseases group.

Dr. Husain's contributions to the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) are noteworthy, including his roles as a fellow and a key member in the global guidelines committees for Candida and Aspergillosis. His expertise is further recognized through his active participation in EFISG, as well as his roles as a grant and abstract reviewer for the ECCMID conference. Dr. Husain has been instrumental in shaping guidelines for managing infections in solid organ transplant recipients, leading on behalf of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation and the American Society of Transplantation. He also serves on the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) Aspergillus guideline panel.

Dr. Husain's research interests primarily focus on infection risks and outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients, with a keen interest in antibiotic stewardship for immunocompromised patients. His clinical research, funded by prestigious bodies like the National Institute of Health, Canadian Institute of Health Research, and the Center for Disease Control, aims to advance diagnostic tests for invasive aspergillosis and develop effective prophylactic strategies against viral, bacterial, and fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts. Dr. Husain has also served as a grant reviewer for the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).

With over 200 peer-reviewed publications and authorship of more than seven book chapters, Dr. Husain's academic contributions are substantial. He also plays a vital role as a reviewer for various medical journals. His passion for education is evident in his establishment of the world’s largest structured Transplant Infectious Diseases Fellowship program in 2009. Dr. Husain has served as the Director of Research at the Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital, and currently serves as the medical Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship program within the University Health Network, nurturing the next generation of transplant physicians.
Shahid Husain